Rajasthan BJP to decide CM candidate following Chhattisgarh, MP

• Vasundhara Raje, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Ashwini Vaishnaw, and CP Joshi are prominent names for the CM's post.
•  BJP's newly elected MLAs in Rajasthan will meet today to decide on the new CM. Observers, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, will oversee the proceedings.
•  BJP, having won 115 out of 199 seats in the recent elections, is expected to hold the CM's swearing-in ceremony on Friday.

BJP  unveiled CM for Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, now turns to Rajasthan, where several prominent leaders fight for the coveted position. The party's newly elected MLAs in Rajasthan are set to convene today to determine the successor to the CM's post.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with party leaders Vinod Tawde and Saroj Pande appointed as observers, will preside over a crucial meeting at the BJP office in Jaipur around 4 pm. The BJP Legislature Party's gathering is scheduled for 4 pm, preceded by the registration of all newly elected MLAs starting at 1:30 pm.

 Among the leading contenders for the CM's post are Vasundhara Raje, a two-time CM known for her extensive campaigning during the recent assembly elections. Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Ashwini Vaishnaw are also emerging as potential candidates.

Arjun Ram Meghwal, a former bureaucrat and three-time parliamentarian, is recognized as one of the prominent Dalit faces in the state. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the BJP's Rajput face, gained prominence after defeating Ashok Gehlot's son in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Ashwini Vaishnaw, a former bureaucrat and Union Railways Minister, represents Odisha in the Rajya Sabha and holds key portfolios.

CP Joshi, the state BJP president and two-time parliamentarian from Chittorgarh, is also in the contention, known for his significant victory margin in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Additionally, MPs Baba Balaknath, Diya Kumari, and Kirodi Lal Meena, who resigned after winning legislative assembly elections, are among the contenders. Party functionaries indicate that the swearing-in ceremony for the CM and the council of ministers is likely to take place on Friday.